Because of an ill-advised decision made in our previous fellowship (WCG) in 1973 that the reading of Deuteronomy during the year of release (the Shemitah) was only a principle, but not binding, the entire greater Church of God has suffered from a series of curses. After John Ritenbaugh was convicted to re-institute the policy of reading Deuteronomy on the Shemitah (or year of release), the CGG still inadvertently missed the mark by calculating from the sacred year (Abib) rather than the beginning of the agricultural year, beginning in Tishri. By focusing on the past 2,100 years, calculating from the works of Josephus, it is clear that curses on the lands occupied by Jacob's children have been suffered because of greed, oppression, exploitation, and tyrannical abuse from Israel's leaders, who have rejected the covenant with God. Because the anchor point of both the Shemitah (the year of release) and Jubilee is the Day of Atonement, the year of release commences on the 6th year reckoned from the agricultural year beginning in Tishri rather than from Abib on the sacred calendar beginning in Abib. When God's people repent of their transgressions (whether committed deliberately or ignorantly), God is faithful to forgive and bless. God forgives both the short-term mistakes and transgressions of the year of release (at the beginning of the eighth year) as well as the long-term mistakes and transgressions which have placed us bondage at the beginning of the Jubilee, an event occurring before the 50th year, following a count of 49 Sabbaths, ending on Atonement, immediately prior to the 50th year.